fitch



J. W. FITCH.

FRMING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN man SEPTA, 19m.

1,303,189. Patented May 6, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

i mi!" J. W. FITCH.

fon'MmG MACHINE.V APPLIcATloN'FILEo sE-PT. l, 19m.

1,303,189. Patente May 6, 1919.3

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gw, W/W

1, w. FITCH. FOBMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.I. 1914. 1,303,189. Patented May 6,1919i 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. W. FITCH.

FORMING MACHINE.

V APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, I9I4. y 1,303,189, f Patented May 6, 1919.I

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. w. FITCH.

FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION ms'ssrf. 1. 1an-4.

1,303,1 89. l Patented May, 1919.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

JOHN W. FITCH, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, vASSIGrNOIxi T0 THE RACINE ENGINE 8c MACHINERY CO., OF RACINE', WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

FORMING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOI-IN W. FITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, county of Racine, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and use ful Im rovements in Forming-Machines, of which t 1e following is a description.

My invention relates to means for dividing, cut-ting, molding or otherwise forming into pieces of suitable size and shape, a strip of candy or like material, preferablywhile the same is in a plastic or semi-plastic condition,

The yobject of my invention is to provide a simple, convenient and reliable machine of the kind described wherein the lmovements of the cooperating parts as they approach each other. are arranged to suit the requirements of the particular material upon which the device is adapted to operate.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinati-on of parts herein shown and described and more particularly ypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like or similar reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device.

Fig. 2 is a plan Viewv of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my device.

Fig. et is a section taken substantially on line L-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the adjustable cutting or forming head of my device. l

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on line (5 6 of Fig. 5. l

Fig. '7 is a section similar to Fig. 6 showing the nonadjustable head of my device.

Fig. S is a perspective view of a cutting blade for my device. l

Fin'. 9 is a perspective view of a noncutting or dummy blade for my device.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary side View of a head showing how the bands or parts of the head between the blade slots is formed to operate as a die to form the surfaces ofthe material passing through the machine.

Fig. 1l is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a slightly modified form of my device.

Fig. 12 is a section taken substantially on line l2-l2 of Fig. 11.

In the form shown in the drawings my device consists of a suitable frame comprising a. base l and a pair of pedestals 2 and 3 rigidly attached to the base 1 or formed inte'- grally therewith. The pedestals 2 and 3 are substantially similar in form and are each provided near their top with bearings 4 and 5 respectively adapted to rotatably support a pair of shafts 6 and 7 substantially parallel to the plane of the base 1. In the preferred construction the shafts 6 and 7 are substantially parallel to each other and each lextends beyond its bearing in the pedestal 3. The heads 8 and 9 are rigidly attached to the projecting portion of the shafts 6 and 7 respectively. In the form shown the heads 8 and 9 are substantially identical in form, each consisting of a cylindrical body portion l0 with annular flanges lll-411 at each'end projecting radially beyond the intermediate portion 10 of the head. An annular recess 12 is formed in each side of the head having a central portion or hub 14 formed inte gij-ally with the web portion 15 between the recesslQ-l A plurality of radial slots 16 are also formed in each of the heads 8 and 9. rlhe several slots are preferably uni` formly spaced from each other and each eX- tends to the periphery of the head and is adapted to receive a substantially rectangular cutting blade 17, the outer edge ofwhich projects radially beyond the periphery of the head when in operation. The width of the several blades is preferably suiicient to allow each blade tobe forced outward radially a. considerable distance without disengaging the same from its slot sufficiently to permit anyl undesirable independent lateral movement of the outer edge of the blades. In the preferred form also the cylindrical part 10 ofthe heads 8 and 9 is of sufficient diameter to bring their surfaces close enough together to engage and press the material ,'passing between@ the heads. lVhen thus 4constructed the face of the' parts l0 are each checkered or otherwise formed with projecting lines or figures to operate as a mold to gage the thickness of each piece and if desired to impress a suitable design upon the Hat faces of the several pieces.

rIhe shafts 6 and 7 may be rotatably connected in any suitable manner to insure their uniform rotation in relation to each other. As shown a pair of gears 18 and 18 are mounted uponthe shafts 6 and 7 respectively and cooperate to positively' control the relative movements of the shafts.

The heads 8 and 9 may be attached to the shafts 6 and 7 in any suitable manner to insure their accurate coperative movement and to bring the cutting edges of the several blades accurately together at the center-line between the heads. In the form shown v the head 8 yi-s Vprovided with a suitable key-way 19 and the shaft v6 is Vprovided with a fixed key or feather 20 in its projecting end adapted to cooperate with the key-way 19 to laccurately control the position ofthe head upon the shaft. A set-screw or other convenient mea-ns is also preferably provided upon the head 8 adapted to engage t-he vprojecting end of the shaft 6 and prevent any movement of the head longitudinally of the shaft. The projecting end of the shaft 7 has two longitudinal grooves 22 formed therein, arranged to leave a substantially rectangular portion 23 between them. yThe hub of the head 9 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed set-screws 24 and 25 or other convenient means adapted to engage the opposite sides of the rectangular portion 23 between them to rigidly attach the head to the shaft. lVhen vthus constructed it is obvious that the position of the head upon the shaft 7 maybe adjusted slightly by manipulating the set-screws 24: and 25 to partially rotate the head upon the shaft, that is bv loosening `the set-screw 24 and tightening the setscrew 25 the head Will be slightly rotated upon the shaft in one direction while loosening the set-screw 25 and tightening the setscrew 2i will rotate the head in the opposite direction upon the shaft, thus permitting the operator of my device to accurately adjust the position of the head 9 upon the shaft to bring the cuttingedges of the kblades 17 upon the head 8 into position to accurately cooperate with the blades upon the head 9.

Any suitable means may be provided for con-trolling the radial position of the blades 17. In the form shown a substantially flat plate. 26 is positioned at the side of the heads adjacent ythe pedestal 3 and rigidly connected tothe pedestal by suitable brackets 27 or other convenient means adapted to rigidly maintain the plate 26 in position. A

similar plate 28 is provided at the opposite side o-f the hea-ds and rigidly connected to the plate 26 in any suitable manner adapted to accurately maintain the plate 28 in position. In thel form shownthe plates 26 and 28 are each provided with an opening at each corner and a plurality of shoulder bolts 60 and 61 are rigidly secured in the openings in the plate 26 by suitable nuts 62. The opposite end of each bolt extends into an opening in the v.plate 28 and is provided with a nut 63 for rigidly maintaining the plate 28 inposition. By removing the nuts 63 the plate 28 may be removed entirely affording convenient access to the heads and blades.

As shown also a feeding table 29 is provided' arranged to rest upon the upper edges of the plates 26 and 28 above the head 8 and a guard 30 is similarly provided and arranged above the head 9. Bands or plates 31 and 32 are positioned between the edges of the Vplates 26 and 28 to cover the heads and blades and prevent accidental contact with the blades. In the preferred construction the table 29 and guard 30 are each pivotally attached to a shoulder bolt 60 so that the table or guard may be conveniently turned back exposing the upper sides of the heads and permitting convenient access to the cutting blades, and enabling the operator to inspect or remove them if desired. The plates 26 and 28 are each provided with a pair of projecting cams 34 and 35 each arranged to extend into a recess 12 of the heads and engage a suitably formed face 13 near the inner edge of each end of the several blades to accurately control the 'radial position of the blades. A second pair of cam rings 36 and 37 are also provided upon each plate positioned near the periphery of the respective heads and adapted to engage a shoulder 38 upon each blade to control the outward movement of the blades and to maintain the same with the faces at their inner edges in contact with the cams. The cams 34 and 35 may be of any suitable form to produce the most desirable movements of the blades 17. As shown each cam is provided with a projecting lobe 33 adapted to successively thrust the blades outward radially of the respective heads as the blades approach the point where the material is fed to the machine so that each blade is at the outer limit of its radial movement when it arrives at the point where the material enters the machine from this point the blades gradually move inward, their movement being` so timed that the blades on the opposite heads gradually approach each other until they meet at substantially the center line between the heads. After passing this point where the greatest depth of cut is secured the blades on cach head continue to recede or move inward radially of the respective heads until the outer edge of each blade is flush with or even slightly below the surface 10 of its particular head, thus positively withdrawing the blades from the material and insuring its free delivery from the cutters. The blades may remain in this retracted position as long as desired or until they are again thrust outward by the lobe 33.

In the preferred construction the cam rings 36 and 37 are each provided with an opening at the upper edge of the plate so that if desired.i when the table 29 and guard 80 are removed the blades may be removed from the heads through. the openings 39 and by slowly rotating theV heads the blades may be changed or removed and replaced if desired. Under ordinary circumstances it has been found that with the openings in the rings 36 and 87 placed at the upper edge of the plates as shown in the drawings, the blades are sufficiently retained in position by gravity while passing the openings to avoid any tendency of the blades catching and interfering with the operation of the devices. Where however, the heads are to be run at considerable speed I prefer to provide depending portions 40 upon the table 29 adapted to lill the openings 39 in the rings 36 on the plates 26 and 28, similar depending portions l1 are also provided upon the guard 30 to lill the openings 39 in the rings 37 thus insuring the smooth operation of my device.

The blades 17 are preferably substantially rectangular in form and of unifornrthigkness as shown in Fig. 8 with a recess forlned in each corner to provide the shoulders 38 and faces 13 to engage the cams and cam rings respectively to control the position of each blade. In the preferred form a portion adjacent the cutting edge 83 of eachv blade is reduced in thickness between the iianges l1 so that in operation the cut is comparatively thin and the sides of the blades will not press too forcibly against the partially severed pieces. There it is desired to cut pieces which are multiples of the distance between the slots 16, I provide a dummy blade or one having the cutting portion between the flanges 11 entirely removed as shown at 84 in Fig. 9 so that these blades will not engage or if at all very slightly engage the material passing throughl the machine, their principal function being to prevent the part of the heads between the slots from springing thus interfering with the proper coperation of the blades upon the respective heads. i

As shown also the rings 36 and 37 are so positioned that a comparatively narrow strip 7 0 extends between them arranged to gradually; force the blades 17 inward radially of the heads during the cutting operation; the width of the strip being controlled by the distance the shoulders 38 are positioned from the cutting edge of each blade. Obviously the position of the'blades at this point is very important and to relieve wear on the shoulders and upon the cooperatingI faces of the strip 70 I prefer to form the strip of some very hard material capable of a very high polish, such for example, as tempered steel secured in position by suitable screws 71 or other convenient means adapted to permit the convenient renewal of the strips.

In the preferred construction shown the upper surfaces of the table 29 is covered with leather, cork or other soft heat insulating material to prevent contact between the heated material passing over the table and the metal portion of the table, thus avoiding any tendency to suddenly chill the material and cause it to surface crack and lose its finish or luster.

In the form shown the end of the table 29 at the feed opening 65 is curved as at 66 so that the candy string entering the ma chine will be automatically directed toward the central portion of the cutters. able guides 72--72 secured in position by wing-nuts 73 or other convenient means are also provided, each adapted to move transversely of the opening 65 and each having a part 74: extending through the feed opening 65 toward the cutters to direct the material entering the cutting space to the desii-ed portion of the blades. Where however a candy string is comparatively small and it is desired to greatly increase the capacity of the machine a stationary' guide piece 67 may be provided adapted to extend across the feed opening 65 and divide the same into two or more parts each adapted to direct a candy string to the cutters. In the form shown the guide piece 67 is provided with a central tongue 68 extending across the feed opening 65 and a cap screw 69 extends through a suitable opening in the tongue 68 to rigidly secure the same to the guard 30. The guide piece 67 is formed at each side of the tongue to serve as a guide to direct the candy strings to the respective ends of the blades and a wing 75 extends downward through the feed opening 65 to positive-ly separate the material entering the machine and prevent contact -between the pieces when cut.

Any suitable means may be provided to rotate the shafts 6 and 7. In the form shown a shaft 4:2 is mounted in suitable bearings upon the pedestals 2 and 3 substantially parallel to the shafts 6 and 7. A pinion 4-3 is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 42 and arranged to meslrwith a pinion 441 mounted upon a projecting pin il5 upon the pedestal 2. The pinion del also meshes with the gear 18 upon the shaft 6 so that a rotation of the shaft 42 will produce a corresponding rotation of the shafts 6 and 7.

In the preferred construction a pulley 46 or other suitable means is rigidly secured to the projecting end of the shaft 42 adapted to receive a belt or other suitable driving means, (not shown), anda suitable conveyer belt 8l is provided below the heads 8 and 9 adapted to receive the material passing between the heads to support the same until suiiiciently cooled to be conveniently handled or otherwise disposed of.

When my device is intended to operate upon particularly vstitky material having a Adjusttendency to adhere to the blades or heads, suitable means may be provided to positively remove any material which may adhere to the heads. In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a bracket 47 is provided at each side of the pedestal 3 with a suitable bearing for supporting a shaft 48 having a brush 49 near its extremity positioned to brush the surface 10 of each head as the heads are rotated. Any suitable means may be provided for rotating the shaft 48. In the form shown a pinion 50 is provided at the inner end of each shaft and a gear 57 is mounted upon the shafts 6 and 7 respectively. Suitable links 52 are provided at each side of the gear 57 loosely mounted upon the shaft carrying the gear and each connected at its free end with a link 53 having its opposite end loosely engaging the shaft 48. A pinion 54 is mounted at the junction of the links 52 and 53 and arranged to suitably mesh with the gear 57 and pinion 50 whereby the pinion 50 will be positively driven by the gear 57. The brackets 47 may be mounted upon the pedes tal 3 in any desired position since a considerable movement of the bracket will not interfere kwith the satisfactory operation of the driving mechanism.

In the form shown in Figs. 11 and 12 a pair of Scrapers 77 are provided in place of the brushes 49. The Scrapers 77 are each rigidly attached to the frame 1 as at 78 with a part near the free end of each in close proximity to, or in actual contact with the face 10 of the respective heads at a point Where the blades 17 are fully retracted. The form of each scraper is such that its eXtreme end 79 is slightly curved outward from the head as shown to prevent the possibility of the sharpened end of the scraper entering the slots 16 and causing damage while any of the material tending to adhere to the head will be removed by the scraper.

Having-thus described my improvement it is obvious that various modifications may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form and construction shown.

IVhat I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cutting machine, a rotatable head having a plurality of substantially radial slots formed therein, a plurality of blades each positioned in one of said slots and adapted to move radially of said head, said blades having the central portion adjacent the outer edge ythinner than the adjacent portions of said blade said thinner portion being of substantially uniform thickness, in combination with means adapted to control the movements of each blade, and means for rotating said head.

.2. In arcuttin machine, a rotatable head i having a @lum ity -of substantially `radial slots formed therein, a plurality of blades comprising cutting blades and spacing blades positioned between said cutting blades each positioned in one of said slots and adapted to move radially of said head, said spacing blades each having the edge formed to project beyond the periphery of said head at the ends of said blades only, iii combination with means adapted to control the radial movements of each blade, and means for rotating said head.

3. In a cutting machine, a rotatable cylindrical head having a plurality of substantially radial slots formed therein the periphery of said head being formed to coperate with suitable means to operate as a die to forni material, a plurality of blades comprising cutting blades and spacing blades positioned between said cutting blades, each positioned in one of said slots and adapted to move radially of said head, said spacing blades having the outer edge formed to contrQl the longitudinal position and project beyond the periphery of said head at the ends of said blades only and a shoulder at each end of yeach blade, in combination with means near the periphery of said head adapted to engage said shoulders to limit the outward movements of each blade at all positions of said head, and means for rotating said head.

4. In a cutting machine, a rotatable cylindrical head having a plurality of substantially radial slots formed therein, a plurality of blades each positioned in one of said slots and adapted to move radially of said head, a part of said blades having the central portion adjacent the outer edge thinner than the adjacent portions of said blade said thinner portion being of substantially uniform thickness, and a shoulder at each end of each blade, in combination with means engaging the inner edge of each blade at its ends only to force the blades outward, means near the periphery of said head adapted to engage said shoulders to limit the outward movements of each blade at all positions of saidhead, and means for rotating said head.

5. In a cutting machine a pair of rotatabler heads each having a plurality of blades adapted to coperate to cut material passing between the heads, in combination with a pivotally mounted table for directing material between the heads, the end of said table being formed to direct the material to the central portion of said blades.

6. In a cutting machine a pair of rotatable heads each having a plurality of blades adapted to coperate to cut material passing between the heads, in combination with a table for directing material between the heads and a layer of heat insulating inaterial secured to and covering the operative surface of said table.

'7. In a cuttin machine a pair` of rotatable heads each having a plurality of blades adapted to coperate to cut material passing between the heads, in combination with a table for directing material between the heads,-a removable plate at the end of said table adapted to direct material to said blades near their ends.

8. In a cutting machine, a pair of rotatable heads each having a plurality of blades adapted to coperate to out material passing between the heads, in combination with a table for directing material between the headsmeans at the end of said table adapted to direct material to said blades near their ends.

9. In a cutting machine, a pair of rotatable heads each having a plurality of blades adapted to coperate to cut material passing between the heads, in combination with a table for directing material between the heads,-a layer of heat insulating material secured to and covering the operative surface of said table-and a removable plate at the end of said table adapted to direct material to said blades near their ends.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing` witnesses.

JOHN W. FITCH.

Witnesses:

BLANCHE CHALMnRs, BURTON U. HILLS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing che Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

